1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of bar code and address error detection in large volume (bulk) mailing to improve quality control. Specifically, this invention relates to a system and method that allows a mass mailer to give a report to the U.S. Post Office that the bulk mailing has passed a certain specification.
2. Description of Related Art
The U.S. Post Office handles the largest volume of mail in the world. A large portion of the mail being handled in the United States results from high volume mailings and bulk mailings by companies who use direct mailing in their businesses on a daily basis.
In general, about 10 percent of the incoming mails of the U.S. Post Office have printing errors on the post net bar code. In terms of reliablility, the U.S. Post Office requires a 90 percent printing accuracy and returns them to direct mailing companies with penalties unless they meet the criteria. So the burden of direct mail companies grows heavier as the volume of mail increases.
The MERLIN Prints Mail Evaluation Readability Lookup Instrument (system of the United States Post Office) operates air detection in decoding software for samples of total mailings from direct mailing companies and report the MERLIN Bar code Quality Report to the direct mailing company. The MERLIN Bar code Quality Report displays the bar code evaluation results using a set of error codes that are displayed to the post net bar code image and summarized at the bottom of the report.
Optical readers are currently used to read and decipher bar codes. Such scanners are primarily used to read and record only. They are not used in mail systems to evaluate the physical characteristics of a bar code nor to evaluate the accuracy of a bar code as it reflects the known data contained in the database as signified by the bar code.
Address data, such as name, address, city, state and zip code, is generated on mail pieces by many techniques. Among those techniques are inkjet and laser printing. Most developed countries have automated their postal systems by integrating one of many bar code formats to identify and route mail to its destination through their routing processes. These processes are largely based upon high-speed bar code readers and sorters. The efficiency of these machines and the nation's postal system as a whole is largely dependent upon the accuracy and readability of the bar code which has been printed on the mail.
To improve efficiency, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has introduced computer-based processes of several steps which are available to bulk mailers. In fact, the USPS offers a reduced postage rate for large volume mailers, so long as the mail pieces have the proper addresses and bar codes. The processes are designed to correct data such as street, city, state and zip code to ensure that they reflect a deliverable address in the USPS standard format. In addition, the USPS maintains and makes available an updated database which reflects the most recent occupant for each deliverable address and the most recent address for each person, company or entity receiving mail. Naturally, the accuracy of this database depends upon the mail recipient having provided updated information to the USPS. To obtain a certain postage discount from the USPS, each mailer must process his or her mailing data against the above referenced USPS databases to certify that the necessary steps to achieve the accuracy required for the discount have been taken.
Experience with the USPS has revealed the need for a system to confirm the accuracy and readability of mail delivered to the USPS by mailers before it is submitted to the USPS. The system captures the image of each piece of mail in a sample of each mailing and measures several factors. These factors include the physical readability of the information on the piece of mail, compliance of the bar code with applicable standards, and the accuracy of the address data.
The present U.S. Post Office error detection process is very slow. Therefore, it must rely on a small sample, such as approximately 1,000 pieces from a mailing of approximately 10,000 pieces. The sample size could be increased, but would slow down the process even further. Currently, on many occasions the process is totally ignored and the mail sent forward in order to clear a back-log of mail. Often times the slowness of the process causes gridlock at a USPS post office Business Mail Unit receiving dock.
The bulk or high volume mailer benefits substantially from the present invention because the mailer has an opportunity to know while the print job is being processed that the work conforms to USPS requirements. In addition, the savings in labor for the USPS are substantial. If a mailer fails to comply with USPS standards, and the mailer does not know until the USPS informs him or her, then the mailer has two alternatives: abandon the postal discount or reprint the information on the pieces of mail. For large mailings, such as those in the thousands or millions, the financial consequences for failure are enormous.
The true purpose of the present invention is to not really detect defects or errors in specific bulk mailings. The system and method allow a mass large volume mailer to give a report to the U.S. Post Office which certifies the fact that the mailing has passed a certain AQL level according to the appropriate military specification or mill spec. This will allow direct mailers that deal with high volumes of mail to deliver to the Post Office large mailings that will not have to be verified by the Post Office but which would be acceptable to the Post Office without time consuming verification. At the same time, the direct mailer by using the present invention feel comfortable that the error rates in the mailers are greatly reduced because of the present invention.